


we're breaking free

by msaudreyanne



Category: Anastasia (1997), Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Idiots, Mutual Pining, Roommates, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28949190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msaudreyanne/pseuds/msaudreyanne
Summary: tumblr prompt - That sooo classifies as a date.
Relationships: Dimitri | Dmitry/Anya | Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia 1997 & Broadway)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35





	we're breaking free

**Author's Note:**

  * For [swordfightingprincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swordfightingprincess/gifts).



“Anya.”

“Dmitry.” She parroted back at him.

He poked her ribs and she huffed, turning off the TV and giving him the attention he was after.

“Want to go get dinner? I’m starving.”

“And you can’t go alone? You need me to hold your hand?” She had already decided she was going to stay home and wallow in self-pity tonight. Spending time with Dmitry would not only delay those plans, but it'd intensify the need to pity herself later when she was finally alone.

“I mean, if you want to, sure.” Damnit. Could he read her mind?

“What are you, five?” Deflection was good. Deflection would keep their necessary boundaries safe.

Dmitry looked like he wanted to say something inappropriate – they’d lived together long enough that she knew _that_ look – but decided against it.

“Come on, Nastya.” And of course he’d bring out the big guns, using his nickname for her. Only Dmitry ever called her that and it always made her heart sing, despite the reality of their situation. “We’ll go to that Thai place you love. I’ll even let you steal my spring roll.”

“Is it really stealing if you let me have it? But fine. You’ve won me over. Let’s go before I come to my senses.”

Dmitry celebrated his victory and pulled her up from the couch, grabbing both of their coats. As he ushered them out the front door, Anya missed the pure smile, full of hope on his face.

* * *

“Nastya, do you want to pick up some ice cream on the way back?” He’d thrown away their trash and held the Styrofoam containers with her leftovers as she put her coat back on.

“Absolutely. But we’re not getting that God-awful cotton candy flavor.” She was teasing him, because she knew how much he loved it, but also because she loved getting a rise out of him.

Sure enough, he gasped dramatically and looked as if she’d wounded him. “It’s so good though!”

“You only eat one dish of it and then it sits in our freezer for months! Besides, I can always smell your sticky sweet breath from across the apartment when you eat it.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want you to hate the smell of my breath, would we? I'll brush my teeth for you after, I promise.” He looked at her smugly and Anya felt her cheeks warm. She tamped down those feelings though, because they were roommates.

Sure, they could tease each other and ruffle their feathers, but there was a line and Anya’s feelings towards Dmitry definitely crossed it.

* * *

She stood in the checkout line, cotton candy ice cream pint in one hand, mint chocolate chip in the other, when Dmitry found her.

But he wasn’t empty-handed, to her surprise.

“What is that.”

“Oh.” He looked surprised and held up the three dark red carnations. “They were giving them out. Thought you might like them.”

He waited for her to set the ice cream on the conveyor belt to hand over his bounty and Anya tried not to think too much on the meaning behind the flowers. Dmitry had said they were giving them away. He clearly had no idea what these particular flowers symbolized…

She was projecting her feelings again, she thought with a pang. It was becoming harder and harder to stop. Dmitry was just so…

“Do you like them?”

“Oh! Yes, they’re beautiful. Thank you, Dima.”

* * *

The walk back to their apartment was much chillier than the walk to the restaurant. Anya only managed to shiver once before Dmitry offered her his arm and body heat. She tried to covertly snuggle in further, enjoying the unique smell – pre-cotton candy ice cream – that was Dmitry.

Once home, they settled on the couch to watch a movie. There was just enough space between them to draw Anya’s attention towards the static crackling in the air.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

“Dima, when was the last time you went on a date?”

If she was going to continue with burying her feelings, she needed to be strategic. And she couldn’t for the life of her remember the last time Dmitry had gone out with another woman. Not that she hoped it was because he might have interest in her…that would be silly.

He stiffened beside her, pausing the movie. She felt pure dread then, thinking perhaps she had offended him by asking.

“Why do you ask, Nastya?”

“Oh, I just figured you’d want to do something else with your Saturday night. You don’t have to stay home with me. Go live your life!”

“What makes you think I don’t want to hang out with you?”

“Oh come on, Dmitry. You’re single, attractive, and fun to be around. Why wouldn’t you want to date?”

His smug smile drew her up short. What had she said again?

“Tonight.”

“What?”

“You asked when I last went on a date. I answered and said ‘tonight.’”

“I didn’t know you had a date tonight! Why did we go to dinner then? Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” Her heart was in her stomach and she no longer wanted anything to do with the ice cream in front of her. She set it on the coffee table and turned to look at him fully.

“Nastya…” He gave her a pointed look and she noted his pink cheeks and hopeful, exasperated apprehension in his eyes.

“Wait.” The dots were starting to connect in her mind. “We didn’t go on a date.”

He quirked a brow at her. “We didn’t?”

“No. We’re roommates. Roommates get dinner all the time.” She stared off just past his shoulder, trying to figure out when exactly her world upended.

“Does ‘just’ a roommate also get the other person flowers?”

“You said they were giving those away!”

He just looked at her.

“And then you held my arm the whole way home.”

She felt her flush spread down her neck. It was suddenly very, very warm in the apartment. Would it be ridiculous of her to open a window in the middle of this conversation?

“I always do that! I was cold and you offered your arm to me!”

“And now we’re at home, with the lights down low, watching a movie together on the couch, with hardly any space between us.”

 _When_ had he gotten that close?

“I…we…Dima…?” She wanted to pull her hair out, this was all so much for such a short span of time. She looked up at him with wild eyes, trying desperately not to zero in on his lips and think how she really wouldn’t give a flying fuck about artificial cotton candy flavoring right now.

“Face it, Nastya. This sooo classifies as a date.”

Instead of responding, she carded her fingers through his hair and pulled him against her, effectively shutting the both of them up. She groaned happily as Dmitry’s hands came to rest on her waist and against her neck and _fuck_.

This was _such_ a good date. 

**Author's Note:**

> 💛💛💛


End file.
